Keeping your cat healthy

Desexing, vaccinations, parasite treatment and regular vet visits all play their part in keeping your cat or kitten healthy.

Desexing

All SPCA cats and kittens will be desexed when you adopt them. Desexed pets generally live longer, are usually happier to stay at home, fight less and tend not to develop as many problem behaviours as cats who are entire (undesexed).

Kittens can be desexed from 8-10 weeks old or when they have reached about 1kg in weight. Talk to your veterinarian about when they can perform the desexing surgery. Keep in mind that a female kitten is capable of getting pregnant for the first time from 4 months old, and a male kitten may start wandering in search of females, fighting other male tom cats and siring kittens at around that same age. If you have adopted an adult cat and are uncertain whether he/she is desexed or not, consult your veterinarian.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations against disease are critical throughout your cat’s life. If you have adopted a cat from the SPCA he/she will be up-to-date with current vaccinations. However, you will need to check your cat’s health card for the due date of future vaccinations and arrange these with your veterinarian.

Fleas

Flea prevention and treatment are essential. Fleas tend to become more of a problem in warm weather. Check it your cat’s healthcare card to see when his/her next flea treatment is due or talk to your veterinarian. Prevention is better than cure; especially as, if fleas are not eliminated quickly, they can spread to your home.

How do I tell if my cat has fleas?

Your cat may be itching and scratching a lot or grooming excessively.

You may see fleas or flea dirt in your cat’s coat.

Some cats may not itch or scratch, especially with small numbers of fleas, so it is important to check regularly for fleas and flea dirt in your cat’s coat.

How do I get rid of fleas?

You can get a quality product and advice from your veterinarian or the SPCA.

Worms

Cats can get intestinal worms. It can be difficult to detect if your cat has worms, as many healthy adult cats will show no signs. However, in large numbers worms may cause life-threatening problems, particularly in kittens and debilitated older cats. In affected animals, common clinical signs include: a pot-bellied appearance, abdominal discomfort, depressed appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, or poor growth. However, in both kittens and adult cats with small numbers of worms, there may be no obvious signs of infection. Some types of worms can also be spread to humans. General good hygiene will help prevent this but it is important that your cat is also given preventative worm treatment regularly. Check your cat’s health card for when his/her next worm treatment is due or talk to your veterinarian. You can get safe, effective worm treatment from your veterinarian or the SPCA. It is very important to regularly worm your cat.

Skin issues

Skin issues are often caused by fleas, allergies and/or sometimes diet. Signs of skin problems include itching, hair loss or thinning, bald patches, red skin, lumps/bumps in the skin and/or sores. It is important to seek veterinary advice if your cat has a skin problem as there are many varied causes and treatments will only be effective if targeting the right problem.

Teeth

Cats can have a variety of problems with their mouth and teeth that may cause them pain, discomfort and/or difficulty eating; these include:

broken teeth

neck lesions (where the hard outer coating of the tooth is resorbed or eaten away exposing the sensitive underlying tissue and causing a lot of pain)

a buildup of tartar on the teeth

gum inflammation and tooth decay.

Signs that there may be a problem include:

smelly breath

obvious tartar on the teeth or gum inflammation

a broken tooth that you can see

and/or reduced appetite or difficulty eating (for example, the cat may drop food or appear reluctant to eat or uncomfortable when eating).

Remember that many cats can have very severe dental disease without showing obvious signs and while continuing to eat. It is important that you have your cat checked by your veterinarian at least once a year, one of the many things that the veterinarian will check are the cat’s teeth and mouth; this means that problems can be picked up early and addressed, which will save your cat from suffering. If you suspect there is a problem with your cat’s mouth or teeth, please take the cat to your veterinarian for a checkup as soon as possible because dental disease is very painful and can also cause other problems within the body.

Ears

Although it is not common, cats can suffer from ear inflammation and infection. There are many potential causes, including ear mites, allergies, bacterial and yeast infections, trauma and foreign bodies. All of these conditions can be very irritating and/or painful. An ear problem may cause your cat to shake his/her head, carry the head at a different angle (usually angled down to the side of the affected ear) and may even cause some loss of balance, the cat may scratch at the affected ear and there may be discharge, inflammation and a nasty smell from the ear. If you notice any of these clinical signs please seek prompt veterinary treatment as ear problems are painful and can cause permanent ear damage.

Grooming

Regular grooming is a good way to calmly interact with your cat and can also help you to detect health concerns (for example, you might notice a lump under the skin that should be checked). Even cats with short coats need grooming, and cats with long coats need very regular grooming. Suitable brushes and combs are available from pet shops or your veterinary clinic. Some cats will also need their nails clipped, particularly older or less active cats. It is good to start this from a young age so that the cat becomes used to grooming and nail clipping and is not afraid or upset by it; this makes the process much easier!

Regular vet visits

It is important to take your cat to the veterinarian for a check-up at least once a year to allow for early detection of health problems. Contact your veterinarian promptly if you are concerned about the health or well-being of your cat. Cats often hide signs of illness, or show only subtle signs, so it is important to pay close attention to any changes in their behaviour or general health (such as weight loss or gain, and changes in drinking or eating, coat quality, and energy levels), as well as more obvious signs like vomiting, diarrhea or coughing. NEVER give a cat human medicine (e.g. Panadol), as our medications can be harmful or even fatal to cats.

Pet Insurance

The SPCA highly recommends getting pet insurance to cover the costs of unexpected illnesses and emergencies. When your cat is sick or injured, it is a stressful time. Veterinary care can be expensive and you want what is best for your cat.

We recommend Southern Cross Pet Insurance – they offer a great range of insurance plans and it is a brand you can trust. Go online to www.southerncrosspet.co.nz for more information.

Your cat’s microchip

All SPCA cats/kittens are microchipped before you adopt them. It is ESSENTIAL to keep the microchip details up-to-date if you move house or your contact numbers change. The SPCA receives many lost cats who we cannot reunite with their owner because the microchip details have not been updated.